Cellaret

Date1790-1810

Attributed to Joseph Freeman

OriginAmerica, North Carolina, Gates County

MediumBlack walnut and yellow pine

DimensionsOH: 40 3/4"; OW: 24 3/8"; OD: 14 3/8"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1940-107

DescriptionAPPEARANCE: Case & bottles - two sections: Upper section has flat, substantial lid, rectangular in shape with battened ends and applied, molded edge; top hinged at rear; straight sides dovetailed at corners; base has raised, molded edge to accomodate upper section; straight sides; narrow, rectangular slide with battened ends; front edge of slide has pair of small, brass pulls (one missing); single drawer withmolded edge and pair of brass pulls; four, tapering legs, "square" in section; diamond-shape boxwood escutcheons around keyholes on top and drawer; interior of top has original strips attached to all four sides to which were attached cross pieces for grid to separate bottles.

CONSTRUCTION: On the cellaret, tongue and groove end-battens are secured with pins at each end of the single board walnut lid and attached to the yellow pine back with nailed butt hinges with original leather washers. Applied molding is sprig-nailed to the front and side edges. The front and back boards of the case are half-blind dovetailed to the sides, and the single board yellow pine bottom is face nailed to the bottom edges of the sides, front and back. Inside the case, notched boards are wrought-nailed to the front, back and sides about 3" from the top to accommodate bottle separators.

The case rests within the applied sprig-nailed molding of the frame, and is supported by the top of the legs and back of the frame. Screw holes in the top edge of the back match holes in pockets in the back of the case.

On the frame, the back, top rail, slider blade and drawer blade are tenoned and pinned into the square legs, which are tapered below the drawer with the bottom ¾ of the leg chamfered on the inside corner. The slider rests in dados in boards, wrought-nailed to the sides of the frame, which function as kicker, guide and support for the slider as well as kicker for the drawer below. Rabbeted drawer supports/guides are also wrought -nailed to the sides.

Tongue and groove end-battens are secured with pins to the single board yellow pine slider with sprig-nailed molded walnut front. The bottom of the dovetailed drawer is chamfered and set in dados in the sides and front. It is flush nailed to the bottom edge of the back. Additional support comes from two rectangular glue blocks at the front underneath the bottom. The drawer is of yellow pine with a molded walnut front.

WOODS: Primary material is walnut. Secondary material is southern yellow pine (drawer interior, slide, back, and framing).Mark(s)None found